Dear Rob:
A ring oscillator is a test device, used separately, for the testing of wafers and their contents for integrity and speed. In fact, the transistor is a logic NOT gate. This means whatever input is given to the first gate (say a positive voltage) the return is an opposite (negative). Using an odd number of NOT gates returns the opposite input at the last gate and this is fed back to the first transistor. You can make the number of NOT gates any odd number from 3 and above. The maths indicates that the higher the number of odd gates, the lower the frequency of oscillation, making detection more accurate and achieveable (oscillations are sometimes as high as 100 Ghz).
So, to answer your question. I believe a separate testing device has to be created for wafer testing and presumably this is done in the UCONN lab facility. It may also be that the faulty sputter machine has delayed the oscillator's arrival. This is a guess mind.
Oh! by the way, for all you nosing in on a family discussion, we often have dinner together discussing poetry. We eat apple, chips and orange.
David
